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in the keep as there, and he was sure someone had run ahead to announce his arrival. |
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In that supposition he was quite correct. Before he had crossed the hall to the great hearth, Lady Alinor came running from a wall chamber. She seized the hands he held out toward her and gripped them hard. |
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"Ian, Ian, I am glad at heart to see you." |
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"I could not come when I first heard. I begged the king to let me go, but he would not." |
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"You do not need to tell me that." |
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Suddenly her eyes were full of tears. She stepped forward and laid her head against his breast. Ian's hands came up to embrace her and then dropped. He fought another upsurge of his own grief. Alinor uttered a deep sigh and stepped back to look up at him. |
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"It is good to have you here," she said, only a trifle unsteadily. "How long can you stay?" |
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"I do not know," he replied, not meeting her eyes. "It depends on" |
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"At least the night," she cried. |
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"Never mind the buts now. Oh, Ian, you look so tired." |
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"Our ship was blown off course. I meant to land at Roselynde, but we were blown all the way to Dover. We were attacked three times on the road. I could not believe it. In the worst days of Longchamp, things had not come to such a pass. I rode through the night. I had to" |
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"You have bad news?" But Alinor did not pause for him to answer. "Do not tell me now," she said, half laughing but with a tremor in her voice. ''Have you eaten?" He nodded. "Come, let me unarm you and bathe you." It was customary for the lady of the manor to bathe her guests, although Alinor had not usually done so for Ian. |
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"My squires are with the troop," he protested. "I rode ahead." |
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